


Like Snapshots

by brewcha



Category: Free!
Genre: Childhood Memories, Gen, Growing Up, childhood fic, family fic, i don't know how but it got really long, made-up names for tachiparents + mamananase, makoharu friendship, occasional povs from makoto's parents, subtle pov switches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-05
Updated: 2014-11-05
Packaged: 2018-02-24 06:43:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2571932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brewcha/pseuds/brewcha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Memories and moments of Makoto growing up, of his family; just like snapshots.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Snapshots

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vunilla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vunilla/gifts).



> I started writing and I kind of ran away with this. So there'll probably be mistakes - ones of which I'll amend when I have time and some proper sleep. Writing sweet innocent child!Makoto gives me cavities.
> 
> Also I gave names to the Tachiparents + Haru's mom:
> 
> Makoto's mom = Tachibana Mami ('cause it's such a cozy sounding name)  
> Makoto's dad = Tachibana Touya  
> Haru's mom = Nanase Kaho
> 
> (Warning: subtle POV switches!)
> 
> I hope you enjoy, and happy birthday to our dear sweet angel Tachibana Makoto. May he be protected at all costs.

.

.

  

 

(4)

The house was dead silent as Makoto stepped out of his room. The hallway was dark, and for a moment Makoto felt a beat of panic because he couldn’t see anything. The only source of light came from Makoto’s nightlight – a kitten-shaped light bulb that his mother always made sure to switch on each night when she tucked him in bed – but that soon disappeared as the door to Makoto’s room shut behind him.

Makoto jumped and whimpered, tears springing to his eyes, having half the mind to turn around and rush back into his room. But the door had shut behind him and Makoto was _sure_ he didn’t do that and if it wasn’t him that meant it _had_ to be the monster from his dream.

So Makoto inhaled and tiptoed to his parent’s room, his eyes gradually focusing on the dark so that he could see where all the doors were as well as the top of the staircase.

His mother was already switching on the bedside lamp when Makoto opened the door. Though fuzzy with sleep, Tachibana Mami could tell Makoto had another nightmare, and perhaps it wasn’t too surprising: his first day of elementary school was tomorrow, and Makoto had always been an overly nervous, if but sweet, boy.

“I had a bad dream.” Makoto’s voice was wobbly and small.

“Did you, sweetie?” Mami patted the space between her and her husband, who was gradually rousing himself awake, and smiled at her son. “Come on up, there won’t be any bad dreams here.”

Makoto nodded, relieved beyond belief. He closed the door behind him and approached his parent’s bed. It was a large bed, a lot bigger than his own, and Makoto liked to crawl up on it under the blankets. He did that now, already feeling much safer under the warm blanket that his father and mother shared.

His father was moving the pillows on the bed so there would be space for Makoto just as he popped out from under the blanket. There was always an extra pillow for Makoto. “Are there really no bad dreams here?” Makoto whispered tremulously.

“Definitely not,” Tachibana Touya patted his son on the head. “Bad dreams don’t dare show up when your big ol’ Papa is around.” In spite of himself, Makoto giggled.

Makoto settled in the space between his parents, putting his head on the pillows. Normally he’d go right back to sleep, his fears dissipating the moment he entered his parent’s room, but Makoto still felt a bundle of nerves fluttering in his stomach.

“I dreamed that on the first day of school everyone laughed at me,” Makoto blurted out before his mother could turn to switch off the light. She looked back at him, her gaze softening.

“Why would they do that?”

“Because of my name!” Makoto rolled over on his stomach to look directly at his mother. “I dreamed I introduced myself and they started laughing and then suddenly they grew really big and I had to run because they were chasing me and then the monster from my bed had somehow followed me to school and _he caught me!_ ”

His voice had pitched into a frightened squeak, and Makoto felt like a big ball was rising up to his throat and making his eyes sting and his nose all runny. He always felt like before he cried.

“Oh Makoto,” His mother sighed softly, though not in an exasperated way. She smiled gently at him and Makoto immediately felt the big ball feeling fade away. “You don’t need to be scared of that. And I’m sure the monster from your bed left, didn’t it?”

“What if it didn’t?” Makoto whimpered.

“If it didn’t, Papa will check early in the morning tomorrow,” Makoto turned to see his father nodding seriously. He paused to smile at Makoto. “I’ll make sure you’ll be safe every time you go to sleep, Makoto.”

Mami offered her husband a small smile before reaching out to stroke her son’s hair. He had soft hair that felt almost fluffy, brown like his father’s but a few shades lighter. “And remember, Makoto, Haru-chan will be with you at school too.”

Makoto blinked at her in surprise, as if he had just realized. He had been so focused on all scary things in his bad dream that he had forgotten his best friend – Nanase Haruka, “Haru-chan”, who always drove away all the big scary kids who teased Makoto.

But now that his mother had reminded him, all the scary things didn’t seem to matter anymore. Makoto nodded slowly. “If Haru-chan is there, the bad dream won’t come true.”

“It won’t.” His mother agreed. “Nobody will laugh at you, I promise.” His father was nodding in agreement.

“Okay.” Makoto still wasn’t entirely satisfied – he had never gone to elementary school before so there was still a niggle of doubt – but he knew his parents wouldn’t lie, and at least Haru will be there with him. And the initial scare of his bad dream was fading, being replaced with a wave of sleepiness.

Mami watched as Makoto repeated to himself what his parents had told him, his voice drifting away as he snuggled back into his pillow. She exchanged a smile with Touya before turning around to switch off the light.

 

. . .

 

“Mama!” Makoto threw himself at his mother, who had been waiting for him at the school gates with Haru’s mother. He was glad to see his mother – he had so many things he wanted to tell her, about how the teacher was really nice and a few classmates had wanted to be his friends, and how Haru impressed everyone with his crayon drawings in class and—

“How was your first day at school, Makoto?” Makoto looked up to see his mother’s pretty green eyes blinking down at him. From behind him he could hear Haru’s mother asking the same question to her son.

“It was great! Wasn’t it, Haru-chan?” Makoto turned around to look at Haru, who just blinked at him before nodding.

“Yeah.”

“Did your bad dream come true?” Mami asked Makoto solemnly after offering Haru a smile.

Makoto’s grin told her the answer before it came. “Nope! Nobody even laughed, and our teacher even said it was a nice name. She also said the same thing for Haru-chan.”

“Bad dream?” Nanase Kaho had taken hold of Haru’s hand and looked at Mami questioningly.

“I had a bad dream last night, and I thought my first day of school would turn out really bad,” Makoto answered before his mother, the good day at school buoying his confidence and cheer. “But it didn’t come true, because Mama and Papa said so. And because Haru-chan was there!”

He beamed at Haru, who tilted his head. “I didn’t do anything.”

“That sounds lovely,” Kaho exchanged a smiling glance with Mami. “Well let’s get the two of you home.”

 

 

Makoto chattered through the rest of the afternoon, saying how he was excited for the next day, encouraged by the good start at elementary school. Haru, who spent a few hours at the Tachibana household drawing with Makoto after his mother had to return to work, had nodded along with the occasional remark.

It was some minutes after Makoto had walked Haru back to the staircase and bid him good-bye before Makoto’s father returned home from work, and he was immediately hugged (around his leg) by his son with a stream of chatter that Mami had already heard earlier in the day, although it amused her no less.

“What’s in the bag, Papa?” Makoto asked after he had finally released his father to let him take off his shoes. Mami looked up from where she had just taken the stew from the stove, smiling to herself.

“Ah yes,” Touya picked up the paper bag he had dropped beside his briefcase and sat down at the genkan. “Remember when I promised you’ll be safe every time you go to sleep, Makoto?”

Makoto nodded, eyes wide.

“Well your father considered this long and hard,” Touya adjusted his glasses and nodded seriously, furrowing his brows in a show of deep thoughtfulness. “And the solution he came up with is foolproof and monster-proof for sure.”

The paper bag crinkled as Touya pulled out a big stuffed cat. He grinned as he watched his son flush happily, his green eyes sparkling.

The stuffed cat was white and fluffy, with round black shiny eyes and a pink nose. It wore a bow around its neck and the bow had tiny fish patterns on it. Makoto glanced rapidly up at his father and then at the cat. “Is this for me?”

“Of course!” His father blinked in surprise and ruffled his hair. He cleared his throat. “You see, Makoto, the toy store has a lot of stuffed toys like this one. And in my childhood, they were always the guardians of sleep. Mine was a teddy bear, but I know you like cats more.”

“Guardians of sleep?” Makoto reached over to pat the stuffed cat on the nose.

“Oh yes,” His father joined him in petting the cat and nodded. “They are valiant guardians, protecting their owners from bad dreams and other scary things at night. Their cuteness is what keeps the scary things at bay.”

Makoto nodded in awe before looking at the stuffed cat. “Can I hug it when I go to sleep?”

“If you ask very nicely.”

Mami stepped out of the kitchen, wiping her hands and Makoto brightened. Touya handed him the stuffed cat and Makoto ran over with it to show his mother.

“Mama! Look what Papa bought me!”

“What a lovely cat!” Mami feigned surprise, as if her husband had not called her during his lunch break and sent her a picture of what the stuffed cat looked like. “Did you thank Papa yet?”

Makoto paused, his expression briefly horrified that he had completely forgotten his manners. He turned back and quickly ran over to hug his father around the neck, squishing the stuffed cat between them.

“Thank you Papa!”

“Oof—of course, Makoto.”

“Can I go introduce it to my room?”

“Go ahead.” Mami laughed, watching as Makoto immediately turn to head for the stairs. She glanced back at Touya, who smiled back at her.

 

 

Makoto went to sleep that night, hugging the stuffed cat close to him. True to his parents’ words, he had no bad dreams – instead, he dreamt of a white cat sitting at the staircase, under cherry blossom trees.

.

.

 

 

(9)

His mother looked _huge._

Makoto remembered a few months back, when his parents had sat him down at the dinner table and announced that he was going to have a younger sibling. He still remembered that moment: he had stood up in surprise and gaped for several long moments before finally being able to speak. When he did, he hadn’t been able to stop smiling; his mother had recounted that moment and said Makoto’s eyes had sparkled.

Makoto had excitedly told Haru of the news the next day at school, who, on hearing it, had widened his eyes by a small fraction and – though Haru would not believe him when Makoto recounted that moment – Haru’s eyes had sparkled.

And so gradually, throughout the months, Makoto had kept close watch of his mother when he could. And so did his father – who always asked how she was feeling and made sure she was comfortable whenever she sat down.

And, throughout the months, Makoto watched his mother’s belly get bigger and bigger.

“Twins,” She had said when she came home from her doctor’s appointment one day. She had been flushed with excitement. “You’re going to get _two_ younger siblings, Makoto.”

Makoto bumped his feet on the carpet now, glancing at his mother. He noticed that she seemed prettier since the last few months – not that she wasn’t pretty to begin with. She had long hair – longer than it had been when Makoto was younger – that was tied into a loose ponytail, and her eyes were green and always crinkled around the corners when she smiled – and she had the nicest smile. It was the kind of smile that enveloped everyone with warmth, radiating sunshine and flowers. It made Makoto think of kittens and clouds.

Makoto wondered if he smiled like that – if he made people happy and warm with just his smile. He once mentioned this to Haru and Haru had given him a long look that Makoto, for all his familiarity of his best friend, didn’t quite understand.

But nonetheless, it was like she was _extra_ pretty and sunshine-y these days. There were some days, of course, when she looked really tired and uncomfortable, but otherwise she always looked like she was glowing.

“Ren and Ran,” His mother suddenly said. Makoto’s father, who had been sitting on her other side, looked up. “What do you think?”

Makoto watched as his father’s expression softened. “I think they’re wonderful names.”

“What do you think, Makoto?” Mami glanced at her son – she would soon have to refer to him as her eldest.

Makoto smiled, lighting up. “Are they names for my younger siblings? I like them. It’s really cute!”

Mami and Touya laughed. Mami thought of when they had thought of naming Makoto – before they had discerned his gender Mami had wanted to use the _koto_ character, hopefully something like _Kotomi_. She was ready to drop the idea when it turned out he was going to be a boy, but her husband had then suggested _Makoto_ , even if in writing it would be a more feminine form.

Ren and Ran were good names – cute and matching, and unisex, just like Makoto’s. Mami thought it was nice, even though she hadn’t imagined herself giving her first son a generally unisex name in the first place, because it matched Makoto in that way as well.

Makoto, unaware of his mother’s thoughts, shifted closer so he could lean against his mother. He was excited. He couldn’t wait to meet his younger brother and younger sister soon – he was going to be the best big brother ever for them.

It made him a little nervous too, because what do big brothers do? He had never needed to think about that before. All his life he had been taken care of, not the other way round – Makoto remembered his mother talking about when Nanase Kaho had brought a five-month-old Haru to meet a three-days-old Makoto, and his mother had jokingly told Haru to be a “good big brother” to Makoto.

And Haru always had. He always looked after Makoto, who was smaller than him and less brave and also a big crybaby, glaring down at other people who made fun of them and leading Makoto away from things that would scare him.

Of course, Makoto never really thought Haru as a “big brother” figure – Haru was his best friend and Makoto took care of him too, like explaining things to people when Haru couldn’t find the words to say it and making sure Haru didn’t stay too long in the water when they swam. It was hard to find a word to explain, but Makoto was sure their friendship was more than just “brotherly”, although it was definitely a part of it somehow.

Either way, Makoto was pretty sure Haru would make a good big brother if he had his own younger siblings. Makoto wasn’t sure about himself, but he was going to make a real strong effort to be the best big brother for Ren and Ran, and that meant learning to take care of himself from now on.

 

. . .

 

Ren and Ran were _tiny._

Makoto peered into the large cot – the cot Makoto had used when he was a baby was too small to accommodate the twins, but nonetheless was kept in the nursery and used for keeping the toys – and gazed at his little siblings.

They were so small, their fists were small, and their feet were small. They had small tufts of hair each, and they occasionally parted their small jaws to yawn.

It had been at least four days since Makoto’s mother returned from the hospital, but Makoto could not stop looking at his small baby siblings in awe and amazement. How could babies be so small? Had he been this small when he was three-days-old like when he had first been introduced to Haru?

Speaking of whom, Haru was – on the contrary – seeing the twins for the first time. He had dropped by with his family and Makoto’s parents had taken the twins out for the Nanases to coo over before eventually being returned to their cot to nap.

When Haru looked at the twins, Makoto saw his blue eyes widen and sparkle.

“They’re so tiny, right?” Makoto whispered to Haru, who was peering into the cot with him while their parents (and Haru’s grandmother) chatted in the living room.

Haru nodded. His eyes weren’t as wide as it had been earlier but they watched Ren and Ran intently, like he was still amazed by them. Makoto knew it was in a positive way, though, because Haru was paying attention to every movement the twins made, and earlier on he had been the first to notice the twins getting sleepy.

Makoto let another beat of silence pass. “Haru-chan?”

Haru didn’t correct him. He had recently started to grow out of the nickname, telling Makoto to stop calling him ‘-chan’. Haru already disliked his girly name, and the cutesy honorific didn’t help much. Makoto had agreed to stop using the nickname, originally confused at first but gradually understanding, although he occasionally used it if he needed to catch Haru’s attention – to which Haru would correct him irritably.

This time, though, Haru didn’t. Makoto hadn’t even used it like the way he usually did – a little teasingly and sweetly; his tone betrayed a kind of distractedness. Makoto probably didn’t even realize he had used the nickname.

“What is it?” Haru looked at Makoto.

“Do you…” Makoto hesitated, his gaze nervously flickering downwards. “Do you think I’d make a good big brother?”

Haru blinked in surprise. “Why do you ask?” He blurted out.

Makoto looked up at him. “I’m just a little nervous…they’re so _tiny_ …and I’m so clumsy and I always cried a lot and Haru always had to take care of me,” Makoto’s lip wobbled and he felt the familiar feeling of a ball rising up in his throat and making his eyes sting. “I don’t want to let anyone down.”

Haru hesitated. “Don’t say that.”

“What?” Makoto blinked at him, his green eyes looking ready to spill.

“I—“ Haru grunted. “I think you’ll be fine—you’ll be a good big brother.”

 

“Really…?”

Haru huffed slightly, looking away for a moment then back at Makoto, locking their gazes.

Makoto saw the way Haru’s eyes flickered under the dim light of the nursery and Makoto smiled in spite of himself.

“You’re right,” Makoto murmured, relaxing. His eyes stopped singing and he rubbed his eyes with his sleeve. “I shouldn’t worry so much.”

Haru nodded shortly. He was about to turn back to watching the twins when, suddenly, a small cry rose up from the cot.

Makoto blinked, and suddenly Ren and Ran were crying, their small toothless jaws parted wide and small fists shaking in the air. For such small babies, their cries were _really_ loud.

“Oh no—“ Makoto panicked. “Did I make them cry? Was I too loud? Haru what—“

“I think they’re hungry,” Haru winced at their piercing cries.

Before Makoto could respond, there were footsteps from outside the nursery and Makoto’s mother came bustling in.

“Ah!” She looked a little flustered, but otherwise seemed perfectly calm and composed, like she had expected this. “Just the young men I was looking for to help me feed the twins.”

Makoto watched as his mother approached the cot, making gentle cooing noises as she bent to pick Ren up.

“Haru, would you go down and ask your mother to come help me?” Haru was out of the door in a flash, and Makoto watched with growing alarm as his mother turned to him, bending down with Ren in her arms. “Hold Ren for me, Makoto.”

Ren was bawling along with his sister, though he had calmed down a little bit in his mother’s arms. Makoto was afraid that Ren would go back to crying at full force in a more unfamiliar hold, but was surprised to find that, as he carefully held his baby brother in his arms, he didn’t.

Instead, Ren’s cries gradually subsided into dissatisfied hiccups – still unhappy with hunger, but content to snuggle in his big brother’s arms in the meantime.

“Hi Ren,” Makoto whispered. It wasn’t the first time he had held one of the twins in his arms, but it felt different this time. “You’ll eat soon, I promise.”

Ran was in their mother’s arms now, and she seemed calmer too in a familiar hold. Ren’s subsided cries must have also had some effect on her somehow.

Mami made cooing noises to her baby daughter, rocking her a little in her arms. When she glanced over at Makoto, she felt a swell of pride to see her eldest copying her, strolling around the nursery and quietly saying comforting words to his baby brother.

“Shall I help with the bottles?” Kaho had appeared at the doorway, already holding the warm baby bottles with baby milk. Haru slipped past her to join Makoto, glancing over his friend’s shoulder to peer at Ren. Mami could’ve sworn a look passed between the best friends, as if Haru was proving a point. Makoto only laughed a little in response.

“Thank you, Kaho,” Mami smiled. “I was hoping to give Makoto and Haru a chance to feed the twins.”

Makoto and Haru stared at her in surprise, their eyes shining. Haru’s blue eyes were bright and seemed to suppress an obvious excitement, while Makoto looked torn between hope and nervousness.

“Ah yes!” Kaho lit up. “Ren and Ran are lucky to have _two_ big brothers, aren’t they?”

Makoto blinked rapidly. He glanced at Haru, then up at his mother. She tilted her head at him, her eyes softening as she smiled – she had the nicest smile, the kind that made Makoto feel warm and safe.

Makoto smiled back at his mother. He was going to try really really hard to be the best big brother for Ren and Ran.

.

.

 

 

(12)

“Mom, what are you worried about?” Makoto looked at his mother.

“Oh,” She sighed. “I was just checking the things we’ll need to buy for you before junior high starts. You’ve outgrown so many clothes.”

Makoto smiled. He had been helping the twins with a picture they were trying to draw, but halfway through they decided they needed a really big ruler. Makoto had gone to the kitchen, since there was a measurement tape somewhere that could be an alternative for this non-existent big ruler, to find his mother staring the new year shopping list she had pinned on the refrigerator.

They always compiled a shopping list as the year neared its end. In the past couple of years it had been growing steadily, most of it including new clothes and shoes for Makoto. The twins also needed those, of course, but at least Ren could always use Makoto’s hand-me-downs. This year, items such as a new school bag and a new school uniform had been added to the list.

“Don’t worry, dear,” Makoto’s father’s voice came through the doorway and they both turned around. “Think of it as future hand-me-downs for Ren.”

Makoto and his mother laughed. “Let’s not think that far ahead,” She sighed again, turning to look at Makoto and smoothening a lock of hair down his forehead. “You’ve grown so much bigger, Makoto.”

“The Tachibana boys are notorious for it,” Makoto’s father walked past to put down his mug into the sink, turning around to flash Makoto a thumbs up. “Remember when you first noticed our Makoto had grown taller than Haruka-kun? You immediately started asking Haruka-kun if he had been eating well enough.”

Makoto laughed, remembering that moment as clear as day. “Haru looked so shocked that time. I think he wasn’t too happy I suddenly shot up.”

“Well,” His mother smiled. “I won’t be surprised if you grow up as big and tall as your father.”

Makoto wondered about that as he returned to the twins with the measurement tape. He always saw his father as a giant – in Iwatobi he towered over most people, and was taller than Haru’s father by a few inches. Makoto had seen his father’s side of the family several times before as well, and most of them were at least six-feet-tall, or near enough.

Even though Makoto was growing steadily, thanks to the natural order of puberty as well as his regular swimming, Makoto wondered if he really would grow up as big and tall as his father. He had already been praised by his elementary school teachers in the last couple of years for his height and strength – he had been probably the only kid who could carry heavy books and things for teachers without extra help – and over time his shoulders had broadened out to fill his once-loose sweaters.

Still. It was a strange notion, to think that he would one day be as big as his father, whom he had looked up to from day one. It was already strange to think about how Makoto was already nearly as tall as his petite mother, who had once seemed like she was big enough to envelope him in a big hug.

Where he looked like his mother with his eyes and smile, many relatives said Makoto looked like his father when his father was in elementary school and near junior high, in built and the way he carried himself. They always smiled at Makoto and said he would grow up just like his father one day, both with his size and his big heart.

Ran tugged at Makoto’s sleeve, and Makoto went back to their drawing.

.

.

 

 

(14)

The dishes clinked together as Makoto went over to the sink, carefully setting down the stack of dirty bowls. He had been slightly subdued during dinner – in fact he had been subdued for the past few days. Mami had noticed it quickly, even though she knew her eldest was particularly good at keeping a smiling face. She had never pressed him about his problems, because a part of him reminded her of when she was his age and never failed to smile for people, though she made sure that Makoto knew he could open up whenever he wanted.

Still. There was something very _off_ this time round.

“Makoto, will you help me clean the dishes?” Makoto looked up, surprised. He rarely helped out with dishes or cooking, on the account that he was clumsy like his father and always winded up breaking something or mixing things up. The twins were much better at these duties, Ran especially, despite their age and boundless energy, but they were taking a bath now with their father.

“Sure.” Makoto nodded, turning on the tap for his mother and picking up the dishcloth.

He stood beside his mother at the sink, Makoto closer to the racks for him to dry the dishes. Mami noticed, not for the first time, that he was some inches taller than her already.

They chatted as they cleaned the dishes. Mostly about topics that had been brought up during dinner and then diverting to something related. Mami was wondering how she could possibly ask her son what was on his mind when he suddenly lowered the plate he had been drying.

“I’m quitting the swim team.”

It came out of nowhere. Mami had known for some time that he was considering dropping out of his junior high swim team, but she hadn’t actually thought he would. Mami had been to her son’s races, had seen him swim the backstroke leg in his medley relays. Even though Makoto always said he wasn’t talented at swimming, Mami knew he worked hard and knew he loved swimming with his friends.

“I see,” Mami nodded. “I thought you liked being on the swim team, though?”

“I did,” Makoto’s voice sounded strained. “But—Haru quit.”

“Haru-kun?” Now that surprised Mami even more. “Why?”

“I—I don’t know,” To Mami’s horror, Makoto’s voice wobbled. She watched as he inhaled slowly. “He wouldn’t tell me. He said he was going to quite competitive swimming and he didn’t tell me why. I didn’t ask, I knew he had his reasons but—“

Makoto felt his mother shuffle a little closer and let her take the plate away without protesting. He felt that feeling of a ball rising up in his throat again, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. His eyes started to sting.

His mother’s hand came to rest on his back. “What is wrong, Makoto?”

And, like a broken dam, it all came flooding out.

Makoto cried in his mother’s arms, feeling very much like a child again when he had a bad dream. Except this time he couldn’t reassure himself that Haru would be there to make sure his bad dream wouldn’t come true, because Haru had locked himself away from Makoto, had built a wall and suddenly Makoto felt like he was drifting away like a lost boat in the ocean.

It wasn’t like Haru deliberately ignored Makoto or anything like that. They were still best friends, they still went to and fro from school together, they still shared popsicles and still hung out. But Haru had seemingly sharply drawn the shutters overnight and turned himself away into his own world and shadows.

Makoto knew Haru had his reasons and he would never pressure him to open up if he didn’t want to, but the pain was there each time a shadow flickered over Haru’s eyes. And it hurt Makoto so much because he can’t seem to figure it out like he normally always did, that he couldn’t help his best friend like he normally always did.

Mami rubbed her son’s back, making small shushing noises that were more for comfort than for any actual shushing. She had an idea of what was going on, but for now she just let her eldest son cry in her arms.

 

 

“You alright, Makoto?”

Makoto looked up to see his father peeking through the door. Makoto had taken a long shower after his episode in the kitchen, his mother effectively distracting the twins as they bounced out of the bathroom.

Now Makoto sat on his bed, rubbing his hair dry. He smiled at his father. “Yeah. Don’t worry about it, dad.”

Touya didn’t say that, as a parent, he was bound to worry. Mami had caught him by the arm as the twins settled down, telling him quietly what was the matter. And it wasn’t like Touya didn’t know his son – always smiling and always laughing off small things. And like his wife, Touya was not going to pry, but he would check on his eldest every now and then.

Makoto didn’t protest as his father entered the room and sat down beside him. At the back of Makoto’s mind, he thought of how he still had quite a way to go before he would be as tall as his father.

Touya pondered on what to say, but he decided there wasn’t much for him to say. There were things that Makoto would need to learn for himself – not that he wasn’t learning well to begin with.

Still. Touya wondered if anything might be different if the Nanases hadn’t moved to Tokyo for work reasons, leaving their only son behind. The air had felt even stranger when old Grandma Nanase passed away.

Makoto nearly jumped in surprise when he felt his father clap him on the shoulder. He looked up to see his father smiling slightly at him.

“Haruka-kun is lucky to have you, Makoto,” His father said, his tone serious but warm and gentle.

Makoto blinked, only slightly confused. Gradually he lowered his gaze and smiled. “I think _I’m_ lucky to have Haru, dad.”

“It goes both ways.” His father laughed, and Makoto felt oddly comforted by it. A beat of silence, and his father patted him on his shoulder. “As long as you’re there for Haruka-kun, Makoto. I think that’s all he needs.”

Touya gave his eldest a reassuring smile before getting up and leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

On the other side of the door, Makoto stared at the floor. He straightened up to look out of his window, where he had a view of Haru’s house, and Haru’s bedroom window was right opposite of Makoto’s own.

To Makoto’s surprise, the curtain was open and the lights were on. There was movement from the side of the window and Haru came into view with a towel over his head, probably having taken a bath himself.

Makoto got up and moved closer to the window. Haru looked up to see Makoto smiling and waving at him.

Makoto watched as Haru stared, and Makoto was afraid he would turn away and shut the curtains on him. Afraid that he would shut himself off again.

Haru nodded and waved, and Makoto felt a knot of tension release in his chest.

 

 

Makoto patted his stuffed white cat – a little gray from dust and old age – before going to bed that night.

.

.

 

 

(18)

It was early in the morning. The sun had hardly risen, barely peeking up over the rooftops. It was just enough to give some light on the day, and enough for the birds to wake up to the summer morning and flit about in their branches.

Makoto loaded the second tent into the car as his father approached with their camping equipment. As Makoto leaned over to take some of the load, he was suddenly reminded of when he thought he would never grow up as tall and big as his father.

“Do we have everything?” His father nodded at the pile in the back of the Range Rover.

“I _think_ so,” Makoto did a quite sweeping double-check with his eyes. “Ah! I left the box of fishing gear at the door.”

“I’ll go get it—“ They turned towards the house, only to see Makoto’s mother bending down to pick up the large box while the twins excitedly darted down the path to the car.

“Mom!” Makoto rushed over to her. “I’ll carry it. It’s heavy.”

“What, you don’t think your tiny mother can carry a few fishing poles?” His mother scolded jokingly. “I’m not anywhere near my dotage yet!”

“I know, I know,” Makoto laughed, grunting a little as he took the box from her, hefting it up to balance it in his arms. “But you already have two big guys like dad and me to help you out, why worry, right?”

“Two big handsome men,” His father corrected as they approached and Mami let out a rippling laugh. “Ah! And here’s the third big handsome man.”

“Haru-chan!” Ren and Ran cried out at the same time as their father’s remark, leaping across the path to jump on Haru’s legs.

“Haru! It’s really early, you know,” Makoto shoved the box of fishing gear with the rest of the camping gear before turning to greet his dark-haired friend.

Haru sniffed. “I know.” He was carrying a cooler, and Makoto could guess what was inside before he even needed to ask.

“Haruka-kun, you shouldn’t have,” Mami smiled as Touya took the cooler from Haru’s hands. It was a familiar scene ever since Haru started living on his own – Haru would always show up in the morning when the Tachibana family loaded the family Range Rover with a cooler of fish or some other item and bid them a safe trip. One year he had lent them his paraffin stove when the family’s old one broke the day before.

Haru shrugged, smiling the smile that he had gradually been showing more ever since his second year of high school. “It’s no trouble.”

“Haru-chan, why won’t you come with us?” Ren asked, clinging to Haru’s shirt.

“Yeah, Haru-chan! There’s enough space to share a tent with Ren and big brother and me!” Ran added.

Makoto stepped forward. “Hey guys, don’t pester Haru so much…” He trailed off as Haru knelt down to face the twins.

“I would love to, but you can still spend time with me when you come back,” Haru said honestly. “Won’t you have lots of fun with your parents and with Makoto?”

While Haru placated the twins, Makoto went over to help his father make space for the cooler.

“I don’t blame them,” His father said suddenly, out of earshot from the twins. “It’s the last chance in a long while before they could even ask Haruka-kun to join us.”

Makoto blinked in surprise. His mother smiled a little sadly. Makoto had almost forgotten that it was going to be their last camping trip before Makoto and Haru head off to university – all the way in Tokyo. Their relay at the Nationals seemed really far away now.

It felt strange. It felt really strange.

“Oh don’t look like that Makoto,” Mami patted her son on the cheek. He had grown so much – she needed to lean up to do that now. “Now go say goodbye to Haruka-kun. We’ll see him in a few days.”

Ren and Ran had finally extracted themselves from Haru, already forgetting their disappointment as they bickered over which seat they got to sit in the car.

“Thanks Haru,” Makoto smiled. “You already know everything, don’t you?”

Haru sighed. “I have the spare key. Feed the goldfish. Water the plants. I’ll be studying in my spare time, before you ask.”

Makoto laughed. “Alright. I’ll have to catch up when I get back.”

Haru huffed wryly and smiled. He raised a hand. “Bye. Have fun.”

 

 

Makoto thought of the camping trips of his childhood. His favourite camping spots had always been the one by a large lake – that was the one they were heading this year. Even though he had been afraid of the water, the lake was never quite as scary. It was probably because of how calm it was, along with its surrounding area. It was still scary, but the almost-mirror reflection of the surface of the lake gave Makoto a sense of peace.

As the Range Rover turned and twisted through the familiar winding roads, the twins falling asleep in their seats, Makoto found himself looking forward to spending time with his family on this camping trip more than he ever had in the past few years.

It was going to be the last trip before Makoto left the small hamlet of their sleepy, seaside town for university, and Makoto wanted to relieve as many childhood memories as he can with his family before that happened.

.

.

 

 

(19)

A stuffed white cat, gray with dust and old age, its ears frayed with wear and a big bow with faded fish patterns. It sat on an empty, cover-less bed with a note under its paw. It had been found in the corner of the closet of the room, the closet already emptied of clothes and old knick-knacks when the stuffed cat was found.

Makoto had thought long and hard over whether or not to bring it with him to Tokyo. One hand, it would give him something to hold on to – something from home and from his oldest childhood memory, on the other hand it also belonged to a stage of his life that he had long outgrown.

Still. There _was_ a reason why Makoto had never thrown it out or donated it away whenever the family cleared their old things out.

Instead he left it behind at the last minute so that his parents or siblings would find it by the time he was gone, on his empty cover-less bed with a note under its paw, with nearly everything in his room already emptied out.

 

. . .

 

_Whenever you miss me, you can hold onto this.  
I love you guys._

_-Makoto_

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank my roommate for putting up with my loud typing and still being able to go to sleep despite my desk light on. Bless your heart.
> 
> I flip-flopped near the end I'm so sorry. Nonetheless I hope you enjoyed this! I might have diverted slightly from the original challenge, and I slipped in quite a bit of Haru and friendshippy makoharu because I couldn't resist - and also because Haru's such an integral part of Makoto's life since childhood that I couldn't not include him!
> 
> This got really long and out of hand and I had to cut down some scenes I wanted to do. Maybe I'll write them in separate oneshots? Hmm? Hmmm!
> 
> (It's kinda funny 'cause in the Makoto Bday Exchange I requested Tachibana family times + Makoto's childhood, and then I receive a request that is more or less the same thing. It pleases me. More Tachibana family times makes me a very happy potato.)
> 
> Also I kind of winged it with like, approximation of ages with certain events. Oh I try, I do try.
> 
> Nonetheless!! I hope you enjoyed reading the fic and I shall now go and crash into my bed.


End file.
